


Small Town Wonder

by LoopyDice



Series: Flashwave Week 2017 [5]
Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Historical, Banter, Bold Barry, Cowboys, Cute, Historical Inaccuracy, M/M, Snarky Mick
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-31
Updated: 2017-08-31
Packaged: 2018-12-22 02:59:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,223
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11958309
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LoopyDice/pseuds/LoopyDice
Summary: Barry is the new Sheriff of the Rogues' Den and Mick is his Deputy.





	Small Town Wonder

**Author's Note:**

> I didn't even try to make this accurate. Then again nobody really makes accurate cowboy stories so I'll give myself a pass.

Barry stared at the shiny new gold star pinned to his shirt. He was somehow, bafflingly, the Rogues' Den's new sheriff.

"This place isn't even a real town! It's a bandits' camp!"

"Hey, now, Sheriff, that's a little harsh," drawled Mr Snart, brother to the leader of the Rogues, Ms Snart. "We've got a saloon, a market, a bank and now our very own keeper of the peace. Sure sounds like a town to me."

"Your saloon is one guy selling booze from his tent!"

"It's really good booze," pointed out Mr Rory, Mr Snart's favourite partner in crime.

"And your bank is a cave where everyone dumps their stolen goods!"

"How is that any different from a normal bank?" asked Mr Snart, causing Mr Rory to snort.

Barry's eyes rolled. Why, oh why, was everyone in this damn town so hair-tearingly frustrating?

"Well, since it's been such a long while since our last sheriff, the reports've really piled up. You'll have lots of catching up to do," continued Mr Snart.

"Wait, you had a sheriff before me? Really? How many poor suckers did you con into this job?"

Mr Snart laughed. "I won't keep you any longer, Sheriff, good day!"

Barry, exasperated, watched Mr Snart tip his hat and exit the so called sheriff's office.

"You know," Mr Rory commented, "Before you, the sheriff was one of the Rogues."

"What changed?" Barry sat down grumpily on the rickety wooden chair in front of the tall pile of paper slips.

"Turns out thieves aren't very good at self-regulation," observed Mr Rory drily.

Barry snorted, his hand coming up to cover his mouth and quell the giggles. It took a few moments to get himself back under control. "Why haven't you gone with Mr Snart, Mr Rory?"

"Isn't obvious? I'm your deputy."

"I have a deputy?"

"'Course you do. It's my job to keep you from getting into any trouble with the locals."

"Is that likely to happen?"

The deputy smiled dangerously. "You're an honest man, Sheriff. We don't get much of your kind out here. Some people might take it the wrong way."

"Sounds like I'm going to spend a whole lotta my years getting fleeced."

It was the deputy's turn to laugh. Barry liked his laugh. It was deep and rough in a way that vibrated Barry down to his toes.

"You've got that right, Sheriff."

"Well, Deputy, like Mr Snart said, we've got a lot of work to do. Pull up a chair, and hopefully we'll be halfway done by lunch!"

"Woah, back up a moment! I didn't sign up for any paperwork!"

Barry smiled, a little evilly, at the look of horror on Deputy Rory's face. "You should count yourself lucky, Deputy, that you won't be working alone!"

"You're a cold heartless monster, Sheriff! Takin' advantage of my position an' foistin' your duties on me!"

"Just like a real sheriff!" Barry really really liked the deputy. Getting to spend more time with him sounded like a dream come true.

"I feel tricked! You tricked me!"

"I tricked you?"

"Yeah! You made me think you were a harmless bright-eyed optimist type, but nooo, you're devious!" The deputy pulled up a stool and sat on the other side of Barry's desk.

"Devious... I like that! Means I'll fit right in!" Maybe being Sheriff of the Rogues' Den wasn't so bad. Especially if he could get to know Deputy Rory a bit better.

"Where do we start?" The deputy stared hopelessly at the stack.

"Triage, first. We figure out which requests need to be dealt with right away and which can wait."

"Right, I can do that."

 

A few hours later, their stack turned into two smaller piles, organized by priority. Barry's priorities, not the deputy's. They had a couple differences of opinions that Barry automatically won due to the virtue of a higher rank. The demolition of an unsafe structure should obviously be handled immediately while a dispute over a bar of gold could wait, Deputy Rory.

"You know, most of these things aren't really a sheriff's job."

The deputy shrugged. "They're your job. Besides sheriff sounds better than the complaints department."

"Let's take a break for now and grab a bite to eat. We'll get started on these when we get back."

"You're place or mine?"

Barry blinked. "Isn't there a diner or something?"

"No, why would we have a diner?"

"What about the saloon? Does it serve food?"

Deputy Rory snorted. "Even if it did, I wouldn't trust anything the Trickster cooks."

"But you trust what he brews?"

"If it gets me drunk, it's good enough."

"Guess it'll be your place. I haven't stocked up yet."

"I think I've got some sandwiches somewhere."

"Lead the way, Deputy."

They exited the little sheriff's office, one of the few actual buildings in the whole town. Barry followed Deputy Rory until he noticed a young man leaning despondently against the wall of a more recently constructed building.

"Hold up a second, Deputy, I need to look into something."

"Woah!" The deputy grabbed Barry's arm. "That's a Trickster. You should stay away from him."

Barry frowned. "He runs the saloon?"

"Nah, that's Trickster Senior's job.This is Trickster Junior."

"Why should I stay away?"

"Tricksters are dangerous."

"So's everyone else here."

"The Tricksters are the unpredictable kind of dangerous. You'll never see it coming."

Barry smiled. "Don't worry, Deputy Rory, I can handle this."

"If you die, I'm the one that gets yelled at!"

Barry ignored him and approached the young trickster. Barry tipped his hat politely. "G'day, sir, if I may, I'm Barry Allen, the new sheriff in town. And who may you be?"

For a moment, all the young man did was stare. "Axel. Walker." A pause. "Am I doing something wrong?"

"No, no, of course not, Mr Walker! You were just looking a little down! I felt myself compelled to ask you what's wrong?"

"There's not anything wrong. I'm just bored, is all. There's nothing to do around here."

"What a shame!"

"I used to at least go on heists. Those were fun. But nobody but Jesse takes me and he's been too busy with his stupid saloon!"

"Sounds like you need something to do, Mr Walker." Barry gave it some thought. "If I may make a suggestion, why don't you start a diner!"

Mr Walker blinked. "What?"

"It would certainly keep you occupied! And be a benefit to the town! And I'm sure a little extra cash won't go amiss!" Barry gave Mr Walker a knowing smile.

"I don't want to run a diner!"

Barry shrugged. "Give it some thought, my good Mr Walker. I think a diner might be just the distraction you need! G'day, sir!"

Barry went back to Deputy Rory's side.

The good deputy squinted at Barry. "What was that?"

"Community engagement, Deputy. This town needs a few more establishments as well as stronger healthier ties between its inhabitants! I intend to make that happen!"

"... I'm starting to feel like hiring you may have been a mistake."

Barry grinned. "Don't be like that, Deputy! I promise you, everything will turn out just fine! Now, you promised me a lunch date, didn't you?!"

"A date? Moving kind of fast, aren't we?" The deputy smiled in amusement.

"I happen to like this pace, Deputy."

"I'm sure you do, Sheriff."


End file.
